Compare towns
Danvers vs Gorham vs Salem vs Peabody
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danvers has the highest household income ($125k).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
Peabody has the shortest commute (26 min average).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Danvers | Gorham | Salem | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098 |
18,300Lowest |
44,795 |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9 about the U.S. average |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.3±2.4Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Gorham and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Peabody and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$112,312±$6k 39% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$96,657±$4k 20% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$460,900±$26kLowest 39% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
$596,200±$12k 79% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,680±$355Lowest 19% above U.S. |
$1,836±$84 30% above U.S. |
$1,950±$99 38% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654Highest 113% above U.S. |
$4,825Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$6,114 96% above U.S. |
$5,065 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Peabody and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salem and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #91 of 282 in MA | #24 of 133 in ME | #248 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Gorham Public Schools | Salem | Peabody |
| High school in town | — | Gorham High School | Salem High | Peabody Veterans Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Highest |
9.8Lowest |
10.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.